The New York Academy of Sciences is sponsoring a 2.5 day conference titled "Adolescent Brain Development: Vulnerabilities and Opportunities," scheduled for September 18-20, 2003, in New York City. Adolescent development involves complex changes in neurobehavioral systems underpinning the control of emotion and behavior; this period is often difficult and accompanied with steep rise in mortality and morbidity related to the control of behavior and emotions, some of which have significant long-term consequences. A multitude of biological, psychological, and social changes occur rapidly during this interval and a developmental framework is essential to examine questions about specific maturational processes-including pubertal brain and body changes-and the unique opportunities and vulnerabilities created by these developmental processes. Establishing a better understanding of these processes can help inform the timing and focus of interventions (and eventually preventive efforts) to shift the trajectories away from negative outcomes, and toward healthy positive pathways. A critical problem in this area is the dearth of basic knowledge about human brain development during puberty and adolescence-particularly the maturation of neurobehavioral systems involved in affect regulation and behavioral choices that have enormous clinical and social policy relevance. However, significant progress has recently been made in a number of areas relevant to these issues. There is a critical need at this time for better integration across the variety of areas where rapid progress is being made with a specific focus on the neurobehavioral changes during normal adolescent development that contribute to increased risk-taking and/or reward seeking. The purpose of this conference is to bring together basic and clinical investigators from a number of different areas to begin a better-integrated dialogue to move the field forward. Discussion during the conference will include studies in animal models that can inform key aspects of human brain development and the usefulness of new tools (such as functional neuroimaging and genetic studies). The long-term goal is to stimulate further interdisciplinary research and advance understanding with clinical and policy relevance to a wide range of adolescent-onset health problems-particularly the development of nicotine dependence, alcohol and other substance use, risk-taking behaviors, depression and suicide.